2 St. George women fight off intruder in apartment, police say

Police were looking Monday for a man who they say broke into an apartment and assaulted a woman.

ST. GEORGE — Police were looking Monday for a man who they say broke into an apartment and assaulted a woman.

The attack happened about 4:15 a.m. Monday in the area of 1000 East between Tabernacle and 100 South at an apartment where four women live, said St. George Police Sgt. Sam Despain. One of the women awoke to find a man standing over her.

The man grabbed the woman's neck and she fought back, Despain said. A second woman woke up during the struggle and tried to help her roommate. The two were able to scare the intruder out of the apartment, he said.

The first woman was not injured. The second woman suffered a cut to her head and was treated at a local hospital.

Nothing from the apartment was taken. Despain said the man likely entered through an unlocked front door. Whether the attack was random or targeted was unknown Monday, as was the motive of the alleged intruder.

Despain declined to give the ages of the women on Monday.

The only description police were able to get was a white male, about 5 feet 9 inches with a skinny build, scruffy blond hair and scruffy facial hair, who was last seen wearing dark clothing.

Pat is a veteran police and courts reporter for the Deseret News and KSL and has covered some of the biggest stories in Utah for the past two decades. He is a graduate of Michigan State University with a BA in journalism.